CDs ‘around for next decade’ reckon Brits

Downloads are exploding, but we've still got a soft spot for shiny discs

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Despite the prevalence of downloads, we still love the CD

The general populace reckons that CDs will be around for most of the next decade. That's according to a survey from UK ISP PlusNet who say the research goes against the current flow of download-only thinking.

48 per cent of those questioned believe it will be at least 10 years before the CD becomes obsolete, while a further 28 per cent think CDs still have a good five years to go and 10 per cent think the medium will be around forever - though this could well be out of forlorn love for the format rather than realistic expectation.

It seems we can't quite let go of the CD. In 2006 UK music fans bought more CDs than any other country in the world last year, according to the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA). But music downloads in the UK hit a record 2.94m in the last week of 2007 - double the level of 2006, according to BPI figures.

Media frenzy

"The rise of downloading in the singles market may have captured the headlines over the past couple of years, but when it comes to albums, UK music fans still overwhelmingly prefer the convenience and flexibility of physical formats," said ERA director general Kim Bayley at the time. "Digital still accounts for less than one-twelfth of the UK music market."

Despite that analysis, CD album sales plummeted 10 per cent over 2007, although sales remain 26 per cent higher than a decade ago.

"Downloading music from the internet has become a huge activity in the UK - however, our research proves that people still love their CD collection," said Neil Armstrong, products director at PlusNet.

"Music fans are rapidly embracing the on-demand nature of downloads, and this will continue to increase as prices drop and competition between download sites grows. Clearly, though, there's still life in the CD yet."